File case



Nov. 23, 1954 o. 1-. BRONEER FILE CASE Filed March 27, 1951 IN ENTOR. Oxtzrj roizeer BY 2a)g%' United States Patent FILE CASE Oscar T. Broneer, Chicago, Ill. Application March 27, 1951, Serial No. 217,839

1 Claim. (Cl. 129-16) My invention relates to file cases and has to do more particularly with articles of this character especially suitable for storage of photographic slides or transparencies.

It is necessary in the filing of all articles of this type, whether it be cards bearing information or photographic matter, that the desired article he found quickly and accurately. This is especially important in connection with the projection of slides in order that the observers may not be subjected to unduly long pauses between slides.

I have devised a portable cabinet which is suitable for the storage of slides as well as cards and similar articles and which is adaptable to facilitate quick finding, removal and reinsertion of the individual slides or other articles. This objective is accomplished by an arrangement that permits substantially doubling the spacing of the slides or the like when one is ready to use them, while at the same time firmly retaining them In their proper relative positions.

My invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the attached drawings forming a part of this specification and illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a file case 1n closed position embodying my invention with the closure member shown in displaced relation to the case proper,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cabinet 1n open position and showing the cards and card-holding means extended;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the card retaining means;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing a modified closure means for the case;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the modified closure means in open position; and

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the mner face of the modified closure member.

Referring first to Figs. 1-4, I prov de a case indlcated generally by the numeral 10, which is formed of a pan of similar cooperating receptacle members 11, 11 hlnged together at their ends as by piano hinges 12, 12 or ack hinges or the like. When closed, the open s1de s of the members 11, 11 face each other, as seen 1n Fig. 1, so that together they form a receptacle of rectangular crosssection. The case may be formed of wood, metal, plastic, or other suitable material.

Each of the members 11, 11 has an end wall 15 these walls when the case is closed constituting in combination a closure for one end of the case. Each of the parts 11 also comprises a base wall 17. When the case 1s closed, one of said walls 17 forms the bottom and the other the top of the case while, when the case 1s extended, these parts comprise a substantially continuous supporting surface for cards, slides, etc.

Each of the parts 11 also comprises side walls 18, 18 which are grooved or undercut as at 19 and are provided with side flanges 20. When the case is closed, as in Fig. 1, the side walls 18 are juxtaposed to each other to provide vertically substantially continuous side walls for the case; when the case is open, as in Fig. 2, the slde walls, bottom walls 17 and side walls 18 are a substantial continuation of each other horizontally.

Slideably disposed within the grooves 19 is a cardor slide retaining means indicated generally by the numeral 22. As seen best in Figs. 3 and 4, this retaining means comprises a plurality of relatively narrow strips 24 of cardboard, plastic or any other suitable material having suflicient rigidity to retain their shape and approximately of sufiicient width and height to fit slideably within the grooves 19. These strips 24 are secured adjacent their ends to bellows-like connecting means 26, 26 which is of substantially the same height as the strips 24 and of a length preferably somewhat greater than the combined length of the two parts 11 of the case so as to permit extension of said bellows 26 to the entire length of the open case, as seen in Fig. 2. The bellows elements may be formed of any suitable flexible material, such as a fabric or the like which may be impregnated with plastic material to give the same suflicient durability, flexibility, etc.

Various types of means may be employed for closing the front end of the case when it is closed, as seen in Fig. 1. For example, I may have a detachable cap, as seen in Fig. 1, which comprises a member 30 of such size and proportions as to be substantially coextensive with the end of the closed case, as seen in Fig. 1, and having a spring clamp 32 for engaging opposed outer faces of the case and a manipulating knob or handle 33.

In an alternative embodiment seen in Figs. 4-6, I employ a closure element which is unitary with the case itself, comprising a closure plate 35 connected to the upper case portion 11 by means of a piano hinge 37 or the like. When the case is closed, as seen in Fig. 5, the closure plate 35 is secured as by means of a spring latch 38 arranged on a side wall 18. When it is desired to open the case to the position shown in Fig. 2, the closure member 35 is rotated on its hinge 37 to the position shown in Fig. 6, where it is secured as by means of a spring detent 40. The closure plate 35 is provided with a finger member 42 secured over an aperture 43 whereby the closure may be moved from the position of Fig. 6 to operative position.

It will be seen that in this embodiment the upper base element 17' is reduced in thickness at one end, as indicated at 45, so that when the closure member 35 is in the position shown in Fig. 6 its outer surface will be flush with that of the member 17, and when the latter is rotated to open position, as shown in Fig. 2, the entire case will lie in a plane.

It will be clearly understood from the foregoing description that cards, slides or other elements 50 to be filed may be seated between the various strips 24 and securely retained thereby, these strips being of suflicient height to retain in an upright or slanting position the filed articles whether the case is closed or open. When the case is closed, the bellows will be compressed to occupy only the length of the closed case. However, when the case is opened to the position shown in Fig. 2, the bellows may be extended up to the full length of the opened case, i. e., to approximately twice its former length and in this condition the filed articles will be separated to a point where they may be readily inspected, a substantial upper portion thereof being exposed sufficiently to display captions, numbers or other filing indicia. In this condition, the filed articles may be readily withdrawn and reinserted with a minimum of inconvenience or time lost for hunting. They may also be leaned forward or backward to permit reading of label without removal of the card.

When the word plates is used in the specification or clalm, it will be understood to mean any article which one may desire to file in a case of the character herein disclosed, such as paper cards or the like bearing information, photographic plates, slides or transparencies, or other articles of similar physical character.

Although I have shown a track or groove formed on the side walls, other forms of trackways may be used, as in the bottom wall, and proper cooperating parts be formed in the bellows.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention are susceptible of being incorporated without departing from the essential spirit or scope thereof. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the particulars of the accompanying drawings nor by the language chosen in the foregoing description, except to the extent indicated in theappended claim.

I claim:

A filing case consisting of a pair of substantially similar equidimensional rectangular receptacle members each having a pair of-sidewalls, an end wall and a wall joining the side and end walls, the ends of saidside walls opposite the aforesaid end wall of a receptacle beinghinged to corresponding ends of the other receptacle in'abutting relationship, said receptacle members being hinged to an open-position with said members arranged in the same plane, with one of said members opening into and forming a continuation of the other of said members,saidjoining Wall serving as a substantially continuous bottom wall, and to a closed position, with one of-said receptacle membcrsoverlying the other of said-members with'their end and sidewalls disposed in the same plane, a movable member for closing the end of said case opposite the end walls when the case is in closed position, said movable member being substantially coextensive with the cross sectional area of the closed case and hingedly attached to the open end of one of said receptacle members, accordion-like means for'individually receiving flat objects, such as cards, said receiving means when collapsed being disposed in the closed case and being expandable to occupy a major portion of the open case, said side walls being undercut on the inside thereof slidably to seat the end portions of said receiving means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 243,668 Williams June 28, 1881 382,716 Mathews May 15, 1888 386,952 Altfather July 31, 1888 917,679 Strassel Apr. 6, 1909 1,595,761 Doughty Aug. 10, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date France Nov. 28, 1938 

